The present invention relates to a waste segregation compliance system and, in particular, to a waste segregation compliance system which monitors the quantity of various categories of waste, such as infectious medical waste, general waste and sharps, disposed of by individual persons.
Healthcare facilities attempt to minimize the spread of infection and contamination by providing waste receptacles to receive infectious medical waste (IMW). IMW is waste that requires special control and handling procedures thereby increasing disposal costs. Examples of IMW are blood, mucus, tissue, soiled surgical dressings, syringes, and other items which are exposed to potentially infectious agents.
A healthcare facility could substantially reduce its IMW disposal costs through proper waste segregation. More particularly, not all the waste which is disposed of as IMW is in fact IMW. As such, a healthcare facility can reduce IMW disposal costs by proper segregation of IMW from other types of waste, such as general waste and sharps, at the point of generation. However, several factors prohibit proper segregation of waste, such as inconvenience to the overworked healthcare provider, the timely location of the proper trash receptacles, and the lack of a monitoring and feedback system.
Accordingly, a need exists for a waste segregation compliance system, which provides an integrated waste receptacle, detects the disposal of various types and amounts of waste, determines the identity of the person depositing waste, and provides reporting capabilities. Additionally, a need exists for a waste segregation compliance system which automatically monitors waste disposal and provides reports detailing the compliance of individual persons and departments with waste disposal protocols.